Extended breastfeeding a SN child.. Will it ever stop?

[folkiemum]

I wanted to post here in case anyone else was in this situation because when I was struggling it was hard to find many others who had my experience.. Some of you may even remember my posts..

My dd2 has severe learning disability and I was wondering ( when I posted here a couple of years ago) how on earth I could ever withdraw the breast while she needed it for comfort at least and possibly nutrition at times..

Anyway.. this story has a happy ending coz I just stuck with it.. enjoying the fact that I could connect with her in this way and that she got so much comfort from this closeness with me..

I have name changed to avoid all the possible judgey comments but I'm proud to say that she self weaned.. without any distress and all by herself decided it was time to move on.. She has clearly reached a developmental stage at 5.5 years that enabled her to tolerate separation and find other sources of comfort and I am very proud of her. It is the end of an era and there's sadness in me of course but I'm glad I stuck with it and had faith in her ability to lead the weaning process and she did it! Eventually! Now for some new bras!!

Great news that she self weaned, she must be ready :)

Thats great that you trusted your instinct and you obv did the right thing as she has happily self weaned with no drama/upset.

Pleased for you

That is lovely, you must have such a close relationship

Well done for following your instincts and not all the rubbish printed and said about long term bfing. Frankly its no ones business but yours and has proven health benefits for both of you.

DS (3.2) with CP still co-sleeps and breast feeds on a night, I've stopped telling people because of the strange looks I get.
I have tried to wean he off, he doesn't need it during the day but he does for going to sleep as a bit of comfort.
I wanted to breast feed for my DS because it's the best thing for him, not to be judged by people who have no idea what it is like to have a child with SN!

Yes.. I stopped telling people too JTN.. because there came a point where the comments or looks were very irritating and upsetting.. But I really feel it was right for us and so we stuck with it.. It's so important I feel not to underestimate the significance of comfort.. I think comfort goes a long long way.. She still likes to shove her hand down the t-shirt of anyone who has a decent cleavage but that may have happened anyway! She's needing more cuddles during the day but I imagine that will settle in time. Overall I feel she is now more secure in herself and can cope without me at bedtime and that feels liberating for me I have to admit.. I never thought that would happen!
Anyway.. thanks for all lovely responses and good luck to all those still breast feeding your children.. I'm feeling a bit wistful about it but I have lots of happy and funny memories of this period in my life.. Been nice to share this here too..

All I can add is well done you, for sticking with it for so long.

I think when they did some research into when other mammals wean their children they extrapolated that for us to match that we'd have to wean at between 6-8 years. It's only our culture that forces us to wean prematurely.

Wow 6-8 years, my boobies already resemble spaniel ears!!
(totally worth it though)

Oh yes Starlight - I remember reading that somewhere a while back and found it reassuring! Yes I'm aware my boobs have shrunk and will soon look like envelopes! (as I friend once described her boobs!! I laughed at the time but I now fear it's not a good look!! )

I still co sleep with my NT ds2 (3.2)

No one elses fecking business, frankly!

I b/f my nt dd until she was 9 (only at bedtime). She only stopped because I had a hysterectomy and couldn't climb up to her high sleeper. I might have stopped sooner but her older brother (ASD/OCD) was extremely demanding of my time and attention and I felt that she needed the comfort of this thing that was just for her. Kept it very quiet though.
btw folkiemum she continue to stick her hand down my cleavage at every private opportunity for a least 1year after that and still vey occasionally does.

Brilliant! I can't image why you'd get any judgy comments. You did what you needed to do. It hasn't harmed anyone. It's clearly helped both of you.

Blimey, 9yrs old. That's hard for me to imagine and most I expect as I doubt anyone ever gets to see it.

But cultural influences are complex. I had PND with my first and although I 'believed' in bfing and had ample milk, I gave him a bottle at 5 days old as an attempt to make me feel like a 'real' mother.

He went back to ebf at around 6 weeks but still.......

Lovely article in this wnter's Association for Breastfeeding Mothers' magazine on breastfeeding a baby with Down's Syndrome.
Here